End of the world in 2012

I have been seeing a lot of articles, and TV programs, on the subject of 2012, and the end of the world. Some predict that because the Mayan calendar ends, in Dec of 2012, that they are predicting the end of the world. They tie other sources into it as well, which they believe proves that the mankind will be destroyed, as the world ends. Did anyone ever consider the fact, that maybe, just maybe, the Mayans made a Calendar, that went into the future, then stopped, thinking, "EH, that should cover us for a while". I see more and more people jumping on the "end of the world" bandwagon, everyday. I have been bombarded with stupid TV programs that cover the subject as well. Why are we, as people, so preoccupied with this subject ? Anyone remember the 2K scare 11 years ago. According to the bible, god promised us, some 2000 years ago, that after the flooding, he would never harm us that way again. Why is it so hard to believe in that ?